DCSS Exceptional Students Program

09/18/2026

Congratulations to Inclusion Teacher Yasmin Iffath!

A huge congratulations to Ms. Yasmin Iffath on being recognized as Teacher of the Week at Merry Acres Middle School! Our ESP Department is extremely proud that one of our very own has been recognized for her hard work, dedication, and commitment to supporting students each and every day. Your passion for teaching and willingness to go above and beyond do not go unnoticed! Keep shining, Ms. Iffath! You make ESP proud!
ESP: Empower, Support, Propel!

09/08/2026

ESP Professional Learning in Action!
What an amazing day of learning, collaboration, and growth during our District-Wide Professional Learning Day! I am extremely proud of our ESP team members who shared their expertise, practical strategies, and valuable resources with educators across our district.
Today's Professional Learning Topics
included:
• GOIEP + AI = Building Stronger PLAAFPs, Smarter Goals — Strategic Priority Focus:
Academic Rigor and Relevance for All Students
• Understanding Behavior: How to Conduct a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) & Build a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) —
Strategic Priority Focus: Student Wellness
• What's in Your Bag? OT & PT Hacks for the Classroom — Strategic Priority Focus: Student wellness.
A special thank you to our outstanding presenters:
Dr. Tonya Burns, Ms. Tonya Phipps, Mrs. Victoria Griffin, Dr. Tracy Knighton, Mr. Carlos Brown, Mrs. Haley Alexander, Mrs. Sandy Carter, and Ms. Daphnia Ewing. Thank you for pouring into our educators and providing them with tools and strategies that will positively impact our students! ESP: Empower, Support, Propel!
Mrs. Haley Alexander, Mrs. Sandy Carter, and Ms. Daphnia Ewing are not pictured.

08/30/2026

08/29/2026

Learning, Connecting & Growing Together!
What a great few days in Savannah, Georgia, attending the GaDOE Data Conference! The conference was very informative and provided us with valuable information and strategies that we can bring back to continue strengthening the work we do for our students.
One of the highlights was hearing a great message from our State School Superintendent—and we were especially excited that he took a moment to stop and take a picture with us!
Most of all, we truly enjoyed spending this time learning, laughing, collaborating, and making memories with our ESP Administrative Team. There’s nothing like growing together while doing work that matters!
We had a wonderful time in Savannah, and now we’re coming back refreshed, inspired, and ready to continue Empowering, Supporting, and Propelling our students and staff forward!

08/29/2026

💙🌟 ESP PROUD! 🌟💙
The Exceptional Students Program Department is proud to recognize and celebrate our very own Mrs. S. Walton, ESP Teacher at Merry Acres Middle School, for being selected as this week’s M**S Brave Nation Coaches’ Spotlight recipient! Mrs. Walton was recognized for embracing growth and continuously working to strengthen her instructional practices. We are always proud when one of our ESP educators is recognized for the great work they are doing for students each and every day!
Congratulations, Mrs. Walton! Keep shining, growing, and representing the ESP Department with excellence!
ESP: Empower. Support. Propel.
**S

08/24/2026

Today, the Exceptional Students Program celebrated Ms. Erical Hall as she prepares to close an amazing chapter after 31 years of dedicated service! For 31 years, Ms. Hall has poured her knowledge, commitment, and heart into serving our students, families, staff, and district. Her dedication and the impact she has made will not be forgotten. 31 years of service is truly something to celebrate! Please join us in congratulating Ms. Hall and wishing her nothing but joy, relaxation, and many blessings as she begins this well-deserved next chapter.

Happy Retirement, Ms. Hall! Your ESP Family celebrates YOU!

08/20/2026

Day 2 of our Restorative Practices Train-the-Trainer was another great day of learning, collaboration, and growth! Our ESP District Team continues to gain valuable strategies to help build stronger relationships, create positive learning environments, and better support our students and staff. We are excited to put this W.O.R.K. into practice across our district!

08/19/2026

Our ESP District Team participated in the first of three Restorative Practices Train-the-Trainer sessions with This W.O.R.K.S. We were excited to have Dr. Flowers serve as our presenter and lead us through a meaningful and engaging session focused on strengthening relationships, building positive school cultures, and supporting our students and staff.

This is just the beginning! We are looking forward to taking what we learn back into our schools and continuing the W.O.R.K. across the district! 💙💛

ESP: Empower, Support, Propel!

08/14/2026

ESP Shout Out!

We are so proud to shine the spotlight on Ms. Anita Wilcox, ESP Contact Teacher at Northside Elementary School, for taking the lead and providing an awesome ESP training for the teachers at her school!

Ms. Wilcox shared her knowledge and experience to help teachers gain a deeper understanding of students with disabilities and exceptionalities, while providing practical strategies they can use to accommodate, support, and meet the unique needs of our exceptional learners.

This is what collaboration and leadership look like! We love seeing our ESP staff sharing their knowledge, supporting their colleagues, and doing whatever it takes to help our students succeed.
Way to go, Ms. Wilcox and Northside Elementary! Thank you for representing ESP so well and continuing to make a difference for our students!

ESP: Empower, Support, Propel! Every Student, Every Strength, Every Day!

07/27/2026

Under the Big Top... The Greatest Department on Earth!

Today, we officially welcomed our entire Exceptional Students Program family back for an unforgettable Back-to-School/Back-to-Work Carnival! From exciting games and team fellowship to new staff introductions, laughter, and delicious carnival favorites—including popcorn, cotton candy, snow cones, nachos, hot dogs, lemonade, and more-it was the perfect way to kick off an incredible school year.

Our ESP team is united, energized, and ready to make a difference in the lives of every student we serve. The excitement is building, the team is stronger than ever, and the greatest show in education is about to begin!

Welcome back, Team ESP! Under the Big Top, we're ready for the greatest year ever because we truly are The Greatest Department on Earth!